Overview

Informed by your particular discipline, you’ll frame your research within the context of current critical debates, examining modern production and dissemination methods used both nationally and internationally. Your research can be practice-led and conducted primarily through design projects.

You’ll be allocated two supervisors, with additional staff members available if necessary. Our supervisors are experienced in most areas of graphic design and typography, with a focus on type design and type history.

At Cambridge School of Art, you’ll be part of a vibrant and growing community of researchers working in many different fields. We provide various research forums that accentuate the interdisciplinary nature of our research, including the Typographic Research Group (TRG), and have strong links with many professional organisations, including Atypi, Typographic Research Initiative, Typecon (USA) and various critical and professional journals. You’ll have the chance to participate in publications, exhibitions and conferences, gaining valuable research experience and contributing to Cambridge School of Art’s critical culture.

All your subject-specific studies will be enhanced and supported by our University-wide training sessions, where you’ll gain important research expertise in areas like ethics, presentations, intellectual property and digital scholarship.

Supervision and support

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You’ll be supervised and supported by staff who have recognised expertise in both professional practice and research of graphic design and typography, at national and international level. Our staff include:

Will Hill: type, lettering and the use of visual language in a wide range of contexts across the applied and the fine arts, including work on vernacular lettering in eastern Europe, the design of experimental display typefaces and research on revivals and historic references in type design.

Jon Melton: categorising and contextualising of display and ornamented types of the nineteenth century; eighteenth- and nineteenth-century applied arts, furniture, interiors and architecture.

Where you'll research

Your department and faculty

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Cambridge School of Art has been inspiring creativity since 1858 when it was opened by John Ruskin.

Engaging with current debates surrounding contemporary practice and with the state-of-the-art facilities, Cambridge School of Art houses light, bright studios, industry-standard film and photographic facilities, and 150-year-old printing presses alongside dedicated Apple Mac suites. Our digital art gallery, the Ruskin Gallery, exhibits both traditional shows and multimedia presentations, from national and international touring exhibitions and our own students.

We are the only university in Cambridge offering art and design courses at higher education level. A tight-knit community of artists, academics and over 900 students, we collaborate across our University, the creative industries, and other sectors. Cambridge is a centre for employment in the creative industries and there are rich opportunities for collaboration with the city’s entertainment, technological, scientific, arts and heritage industries.

Our graduates have a history of winning national and international awards and an excellent employment record. They include Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett and Dave Gilmour, Spitting Image creators Peter Fluck and Roger Law, and illustrator Ronald Searle, the creator of St Trinian's.

We’re part of the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, a hub of creative and cultural innovation whose groundbreaking research has real social impact.

Where can I study?

Specialist facilities

You’ll have the chance to work in our industry-standard Mac suites, outstanding printmaking, letterpress, and 3D workshops, as well as access to the University of Cambridge Library, our own campus library and Ruskin Gallery, our professional digital art gallery, which shows touring exhibitions of international standing as well as student work.

Our Faculty has a dedicated PhD room, where our doctoral students can all meet up to work and take an active part in our postgraduate student community.

Fees & funding

Course fees

UK & EU students, 2016/17 (per year)

£4,500

UK & EU students, 2016/17 (per year, part time)

£2,650

International students, 2016/17 (MPhil/Phd/MD (Res) per year, full time)

£11,200

PhD by Published Work, 2016/17 (Initial registration)

£1,000

PhD by Published Work, 2016/17 (Full registration)

£3,200

Writing up, 2016/17 (UK & EU students)

£1,300

Writing up, 2016/17 (International students)

£1,300

UK, EU & International 2016/17 Bench fee ranges from 1000 to 7000

£1,000

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Funding

For advice on funding and scholarships please visit our finance pages for postgraduate students and researchers. Where available, the ARU jobs search lists research positions/scholarships.

ARU research

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Anglia Ruskin's academic excellence was recognised in 2014, as part of the Research Excellence Framework (REF), an exercise which assesses the quality of academic research. Twelve areas of our work were classed as generating world-leading research. The results showed that we're making a significant impact on economies, societies, the environment and culture in all corners of the globe.

Careers

We’ll provide you with many opportunities for career development and training, and encourage you to get involved with external activities like conference organisation and giving papers. You might also be able to take on teaching responsibilities in Cambridge School of Art, or organise research events such as conferences and seminars.

In conjunction with University research support, you can request specific support for writing-up, conference papers, general research methods and other research skills if you need it.

Get more information

UK & EU applicants

International applicants

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